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As a result of the innovative partnership between the Illinois
Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Illinois
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, collections of
past due child support rose from $245,000 in fiscal 2006 to $420,000
in fiscal 2007 -- an increase of more than 70 percent. The state
started tracking collections from this enforcement method in 2006.
Such interagency collaborations have been among the innovations
and aggressive programs cited as behind the state's record-setting
collections for child support. In August, Blagojevich announced a
third straight year of record-setting collections, which came in at
$1.22 billion. For the previous fiscal year, collections came in at
$1.14 billion. Just seven years ago, Illinois' child support system
was ranked among the worst in the nation.
"All children deserve the support of both of their parents, and
we're making progress on collecting support payments from every
responsible parent," Blagojevich said. "Illinois families who depend
on child support assistance can enjoy this holiday season knowing
that we're using every tool we have to make sure payments are made
on time."
Collections through this interagency collaboration are on pace
for similar success heading into the New Year, with almost $173,000
total collected through Oct. 30.
"Children should receive the financial support they deserve to
live, learn and grow," said Barry Maram, director of the Illinois
Department of Healthcare and Family Services, which is charged with
the state's child support enforcement. "Under the leadership of
Governor Blagojevich, this department has been able to establish and
expand creative ways that help parents recognize and step up to
their financial responsibilities. This is another example of why we
have received national recognition from the National Child Support
Enforcement Association as one of the most improved programs in the
country."
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
issues more than 1.4 million licenses in more than 200 different
categories ranging from those for barbers to boxers, from security
guards to certified public accountants and from massage therapists
to mortgage bankers. IDFPR requires license applicants to disclose
whether they are delinquent in child support payments.
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Any person delinquent $1,000 or more in child support payments could
be subject to license denial or suspension or be refused a renewal
when the license expires. Once alerted to any child support debt,
the IDFPR contacts Healthcare and Family Services to help determine
if a license should be denied. HFS also notifies IDFPR of child
support debtors who have applied for licenses in the past and who
might be applying for renewals. IDFPR also suspends licenses upon
request from HFS, after a hearing has been held.
"Illinois licensed professionals who accept their
responsibilities -- including caring for their children -- have
nothing to worry about. However, if they fail to meet their child
support obligations, they have failed to meet the standards
necessary to retain their license to practice their profession,"
said Dean Martinez, secretary of the IDFPR.
HFS notifies IDFPR to suspend or deny licenses only in cases
where the custodial parent has applied for child support enforcement
services. All child support enforcement services are free and
include the automatic location of employers, automatic service of
income withholding, and the submission of child support debt to
credit reporting agencies and to the state and federal government,
which can then intercept tax refunds, suspend or deny professional,
occupational and recreational licenses, and deny passports.
Information about
applying is available at
www.hfs.illinois.gov.
People who are delinquent in the payment of child support and who
have received notice from the Department of Healthcare and Family
Services that action is being taken against them should contact the
department at 1-800-447-4278 to make payment arrangements.
Because of the administration's continuous, aggressive efforts to
turn around Illinois child support enforcement, Illinois has
received national recognition from the National Child Support
Enforcement Association, as the recipient of the 2006 Most Improved
Program in the country, and from the federal Office of Child Support
Enforcement, which bestowed a Commissioner's Award of Excellence for
High Performance.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
